Power feeding device



March 2l, 1933. G M NELL 1,902,574

POWER FEEDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 25. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheetl 1 v JNVENTOR. Gwm/e M /Ve// 0M f. 71M

A TTORNE Y.

March 21, 1933. Gl M NELL 1,902,574A

PWER FEEDING DEVICE Filed oct. 25, 1929 :5 sheets-sheet 2 v INVENTOR. aare M /Ve// A TTORNEY.

March 21, 1933. G. M. NELL POWER FEEDING DEVICE Filed Oei. 25, 1929 IN VEN TUR. asaveM /Ve// ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 21, 1933 i f UNITESTATES PATIENT OFFICE GUs'rAvn M. NELL, or nnrnorr, MICHIGAN, AssIGNOR To CHICAGO rNnuMA'rIC'froon COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY POWER FEEDING DEVICE Application filed October 23, 1929. Serial No. 401,747.

This invention relates to. apparatus `for Y drilling rock and other hard formations in mining', quarrying, tunnelling and similar operations and more particularly to power means for feeding or advancing the drilling machines to the work.V x

Une of the objects ofthe invention'` is to provide simple feedingymechanism which shall have much less overall lengthl *when* lo collapsed than conventional drill feeds and with only a nominal increase in weight. 4Am Other Objectis tosecure minimumcollapsed length and weight with a minimum of complications. `Another object is to ee'ct a more '15 even power application for `extended movementby at least a partial balancing of opposing pressure areas, andV to providea power collapse or pull-back of the device'. Still anotherobject is to widen the scope of appli- 2G cation of pow-er feed drills and to permit their use in very restricted places and iniall directions from verticallyup to vertically down with a. minimum of manual labor.v

Other objects will be apparent from the detailedrdescription which follows, Y

In order to illustrate the .invention` concrete embodiments thereof are shown in V.the accompanying drawings, in which:

' Fig. 1 is a sectional view partly in elevation ofv a stoper drill equipped with a power feed, the vlatter being shown vin collapsed position;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of la single control valve for both the percussive motor and the powerfeed, the valve being in forward or operating position'for motorand feed; V

' Figs. 3, 3a and 3?) are transverse sectional views substantially on the lines 3-3, 30o-3aA and Sti-3o of Fig. 2 but showing the valve in neutral position;

Figs. 4, 4a and 4t are sectional views similar to Figs. 3, 3d and 3b showing the valve in reverse position.

Figs. 5,5@ and 5b are sectional views showing the valve in forward and bleed position;

Figs. 6, 6a and 6b are sectional views show.-

ing the `valvewin forward position asl in' 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the power feed device in the Vcollapsingfeature iseliminated; Y

Fig: 8 is a view similar to Fig@ but' S'hkovw ingv the feed device reversely arrangedand partly extended; ,and 1 Y.

F ig. 9 discloses the same feed arrangement as shown in Fig. Sand` differs. onl'yin the method ofcontrolling the percussive motor and the feed device. i p

. In itsessentials, the power Vfeedvydevice comprises -a plurality of nested telescoping members.` The Outmost, or largest member in a transverse sense, may be `acylinderi'lO within which reciprocates ahollow piston 11 having? a head 12 `provided withsuitable `packings 13.` An inwardly' directed flange f 14 on the freeend of cylindeI'LlO provided f l with a packing 15 `forms afslidable `bearing for piston 11 and a` stop for piston head 12. A `closure bushingv 16 issecured in the outer Y end of piston' 11 and is provided with paclry ing 17 1to form a combined bearing and stop` for the third member ofv the powerfeed, namely,piston 18, which is provided with a headV 19 slidably within piston 11 and hav-,V` ingpaclings 20. The rearward end lmain cylinder 10 basan abutment plug 21 by which the entire feeding device issuitably secured to Ibackhead, a of a. conventional rock vvdrill .Y A. In orderthat the machine may function '80 after the manner. of direct feed, the Vouter member 18 of the feed Vdevice may be equipped with a feed point 22 to restupon the rock in the customaryv manner with rock y drill stopers. hole 23 therethrough to beused in anymanner desiredas for a rope,a peg in the ground, `Oria bolt on a rock drill colummto oifera point of support both when lthe feed is eX- tended and collapsed. v n f f For the forward or extended movement of the feed device motive fluidv admitted through passage 24 in plug 21 has direct ac# cess to the large chamber B of cylinder 10 to force piston 11 outwardly. V Chamber B -communicates directly. at all times with chamber C ofpisto'n 11 by large port- 25 inthe rear end or stop flange of thelatter thereby to move piston 18 outwardly.V When the feed device is collapsed, aslshown inlFig. v1,a 100 The point `may alsov have a 'i 3() ythrough the Vwall of the piston 11 permits motive fluid in chamber D to pass :into the variable volume annular chamber El formed between pistons 18V and 11.'

By preference a single manually operated valvemember'or lever 31 is arranged to control the operation of both the percussive tool A and the power feed. To this end -a single` hollow oscillatory valve 32 having three operating Zones *isl provided'under control of hand-le 31 and is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Vhile this valvemay be located at any place most convenient for theoperator, it isshown in Figs. 1` and 8 in the backhead of percussive motor A. Fluid under. pressure, such as compressed air, is directed by a suitable inlet connection 33 to the central,` bore of valve 32v whence its distribution is controlled at the Vrst zone to passage a leading to the p'ercussive motor (Figs. 3-6), at the second Zone to passage 24 leading to "chamber B of the feeding dei vice for the extended movement "of the piston (Figs. 3a,-6a), and at the third zone to passage 28 leading to chamber D for the retracting` or collapsing movement of the feed device (Figs. 35-66) Valve 32 also controlsan exhaust port 34 (Figs. 3e6a) for passage 24 and an exhaust'port 35 (Figs. 32P-43o) for pas- Y sage 28.

There are four operating positions of control valve 32, namely, neutral position (Figs.

3, 3a and-3b) reverseposition (Figs. 4, 4a and 4b), forward and bleed position (Figs.

:5, 5a and 5b); and forward position (Figs.

2, 6, 6a and 6b). The operation of the stoper shown in Fig. 1 will-be explained in connection with these positions of the valve. the parts in collapse position (Fig. 1) and with valve 32 in its neutral position, no motive vfluid'is being admitted to passage a (Fig. 3) for the percussive motor, passage 24' is connected to exhaust 34 by a groove 36 in the exterior ofthe valve (Fig. 3a)l andpassage 28 is connected to exhaust 35 by a similar groove 37 in the valve. Hence, all the chambers; ofthe feeding device are connected to exhaust and the feed is inoperative. In the next, or reverse position of the valve, there is no change in the situation except that `passage 28 leading to chamber D and thence to chamber E `is cut ed from exhaust35 (Fig. 4b) and connected to the source of moti-ve Withy iiuid by port 38 in the valve.M Since the feed Y is already in its collapsed position no movement can talle place.

Continuing the counter-clockwise movement of the valve we next come yto the forward and bleed position (Figs. 5, 5a andb).

There lis still no admission of motive fluidV to passage a of the motor but a restricted admission port 39 in valve 32 (Fig. .nel isV brought into communication with passage 24 while exhaust groove 36 around the valve 1s ing device.

port 38 of the valve to passage 28 and thence to chambers D and E, which is for the purpose of making a: more uniform feed due to a partial equalizing ofthe pressures on the opposite sides of piston heads 12 and 19.

The gradualextending of the feed is to bring motor A into contact with the work. Thereupon the counter-clockwise movement of the valve is continued into the forward position (Figs. 6, 6a Vand 6b). In this position motive fluid is admitted in vdesired amount to 'passage a by port 40 in the 'valve to-set the percussive motor in operation.. The feeding ofmotive fluid tofpassage 24 is brought to full amount by port 41 inthe valve, the exhaust groove 36 being wholly out of contact with passage 24 so that the feed l device is extended as fast as the work performed by drill A will permit. Motive fluid is still fed to passage 28 in chamber D by port 38 in thevalve (Fig. 6b) for partiallyfequalizingthe opposing pressure on the other side of piston 'head 12 so as to make the feed pressure` more nearly equal .or minimize the difference between the effective feeding areas of piston 11. rThis same partial-equalizing ofV pressures for piston head 19 of piston 18 continues so long aspiston 11 is far enough within cylinder 10 to place port 30 in communication with chamber D. Then piston 11 is forced slightly out of cylinder 10, vport '30 is open to atmosphere and there is no longer any opposition to the outward movement of mounted in plug end 21a, orr is held in aconventional clampz 43 attached to an ordinary column so as to offer support both for extension and collapse of the feed. With thisreverse arrangementpassage 24a-which supplies motive fluid for the extension of the feeding device is formed as a bore in small piston 18a which opens directly into chamber C of piston lla rather than into chamber B A method of supplying motive Huid to the feedl and to the drill. Throttlevalve 32a in backhead a of drill A controls the operation of the percussive motor alone. A separate valve 325 independently operated by handle 31?) controls the admission of motivefluid to a flexible conduit 28?) which opens into chamber D. With this arrangement, control of the feeding device is entirely independent of control of percussive motor A. The operative positions of the feed control Valve 326 correspond With Figs. 3cr-6a and SI2-6b. Motive fluid may be supplied to Valves 32a and 326 by branches 45 and 46 respectively from main supply conduit 33a.

When the stoping machine is operated vertically with point 7 or 7a resting on the floor the pull back or collapse under power of the feeding device is of no great value and in'those instances where all rock drill holes n are put in vertically, or approximately so,

passage 28 (Fig. 7) may be closed by a plug 47. A crossport 48 is then made in the Wall of piston 11 to establish communication be- Y tween chambers C and D thereby to effect the partial equalizing of pressures referred to above, so as to permit more accurate control of the feeding device.

Whenever the holes to be drilled are slight-A ly out of or below horizontal, the power-collapse is of-great importance and the outer end of the feeding device is held against longitudinal displacement by means of a peg or stake loosely entering hole 23 (Fig. l) or the same result maybe secured by attachment of the feed to a mining column as by clamp 43 (Fig. 8) or in any other Well-known inanner familiar to those experienced inthe mining art.

The many advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. As compared with the conventional two-part rock drill feed, the present form is approximately one-half the length of the former when both are collapsed, but of equal length when extended. This makes the improved feed of great value when drilling must be'done in very restricted places. The ease of control reduces manual labor and i the compactness, simplicity, and strength of ling' at least three the'pa'rts hold upkeep and repair-expense to aminimumf,` v n The-feeding device mayhave a yvarie'tyof applicationsin drilling work and may be connected to a drill in many ways. 1 While the invention has been herein disclosed withpar-l ticular reference to its application to percusy sive tools for stoping; itis to Vbe understood that it is capable of many other applications and uses. LHenCe, thefclaims are tofbe given `a broad construction andgarelnot tor,belimited` merely tothe particular formsand'fariangements hereinshown'.'ljg n.

I claim as my invention f j j yIn combination',in ayroclc drillpa fluid pressure percussive motor,`a` fluidpressure power `feed for advancing said percussive motor andl retracting litfrom the work, said feed comprising at least three nested teles'c'oping members capable4 of extendingftoV a lso length equal towat` least twiceits'length when' v collapsed, and a single-manually operated valve for controlling bothfsaid' percussive motor vand said feed, said valve having three control. zones motive fluid, control means inl each of said zones one zone controlling the operation'of lsaid percussive motor, another zone vcontrolling the extending ofsaid feed and the thirdl zone controlling `the retracting orcollapsingof said feed, vent means 4under control of said valve in said second' and third zones, said valve'f-being arranged Vtofadmit pressure-fluid at the-*third zoneinall posi.- tions except neutral. i

' 2. In combinatiomina rock drill, aV

pressure percussivei motor, a fluid `pressure powerV feed -for advancing said percussive motor and retracting it fromthe work,- "said feed comprising at least three nested telescoping members capable of extending Sto-a length equal to at least twice its Vlength- When collapsed, fluid pressure supply 'means-extending to said motor and-to said power feed,

and a single` manually operated valve havcontrol positions "forcontrolling the opera-tion of bothtsaid percussive motor-'and said feed', said valve having three `control zones 4for said fluidpressure supplyy means, lone Zone controlling the operation of said percussive motor, another-,zone controling theextending of saidfeed and the third zone controllingthe retracting or collapsing of said feed, said valve being arranged to admittpressure fluid at Vall zones when iny forward or feed-extending position'.

3. In combination in a rock drill, a `fluid 7 pressure percussive motor, a iiuidpressure power feed foradvancing said motor to andrv piston reciprocable in piston reoiprocable retracting'it from the work, said feed-havingnested telescoping members comprising a cylinder,y a hollow said cylinder, a second within said hollow piston, said hollow piston 'l' serving as a conduit between` said cylinderV and said second piston, means utilizingsaid conduit fori creleasably maintaining c said members Vin collapsed position, means for conducting motive fluidto the interior of y H said'cylinder topextend said members,means 'P5 utilizingmotive fluid to retract `said membersyand a single` manually operable valve having three control Zonesv through which the operation of'said motor and the extending andcontracting of said feed are con- '10 trolledftheadmlssion port-for said motor beingconnected to onev zoneand said secondnamed andysaid third-named means being connected to thev other 'Zones respectively, said valve being arranged to pass motive i175 fluid atonev of said zones in all positions exv cept, neutrall Y 4. In a rock. drill having afluid pressure percussive motor andl afluid pressure power l ,v feed for advancing the motor toward and re- "f tracting it from the-work, a single manually operable valve forl controllingthe operation of both said motor and said feed having fluid pressure control means disposed in three zones and venting means in two of said zones, "f said valve being kconstructed and arranged to pass motive fluid at one of saidvented zones in allrof its control positions except one'.

5. Ink-a rock drill'having a fluid pressure r percussive motor and a fluid pressure power @0 feed for advancing the motor toward and retracting it from the work, a single'manually Y operable valve for controlling the operation of both said motor and said feed having fluid pressure control 'means' disposed in three :C `zonesand venting means in twoof said zones,

said unvented zone for controlling the motor A and lsaid `vented zones for controlling the extendingl and retracting of the power feed,'

M said valve being constructedV and arranged 40 to :pass pressure fluid at all zones when in forwards or feed extending position.

`6. In a rock drillhaving a fluid pressure` percussive motor anda fluid pressure power feed for advancing the motor toward and Y f retracting it from the work, a singlel manually operable valve for controlling the opera- 4tion of both saidmotor and said" feed having fluid pressure control means disposed in three zones and venting means in two of said "750 zones, said unvented Zone for controlling the motor and said vented zones for controlling the extending andy retracting of thepower feed, said valve being constructed and arranged to pass pressure fluid at all zones when in forward or feed extending posi- Y tion and'at oneofvsaid vented' zones in all positions except neutral. d

Signedbyine at Detroit, county of Wayne i and State of Michigan this l8day of October,

, GUsTAvn M. NELL, 

